We've been seeing the OnePlus 10 Pro series leak so frequently in the last few weeks, that your eyes might gloss over at seeing even more – but to shake things up, OnePlus itself has unveiled the design of the phone, and has also confirmed its launch date.
As part of CES2022, an annual tech show which is currently going through an exhibitor crisis due to Covid, OnePlus has provided some information on its upcoming smartphone family.
The OnePlus 10 Pro is set to debut in China on January 11 at 1am ET, 6am GMT and 4pm ACT, which is 10pm PT on January 10. So it's only being shown off in one region right now, and without its non-Pro sibling by the sounds of it. We expect a global launch, with a full mobile family, to come later in 2022.
That's quite early in the year for a OnePlus launch, as the company generally waits until March or April to show off its new phones, and that's when we'll likely see the full unveiling.
Unlike companies like Huawei or Xiaomi, we also generally don't see OnePlus show off its phones in China before the rest of the world, so the January 11 event marks a curious new precedent there too. We'd expect the phone to only go on sale in China to begin with, so you won't be able to buy it straight away, but fingers crossed the full release won't be delayed for too long.
OnePlus 10 Pro pictures
(Image credit: OnePlus)
Alongside the launch announcement, OnePlus shared some pictures of the 10 Pro. The phone will seem very familiar to anyone who's been following the leaks, because it turns out those early images were entirely accurate.
The images show two phones, a green and a black one, with a few key features listed between them.
The OnePlus 10 Pro will get a notification slider by the camera bump, as well as what seems to be a power button on that edge too, suggesting the volume rocker is on the other side.
There are three rear cameras, with very visible branding for Hasselblad – the camera company that OnePlus outsources camera parts from. You'll see a fourth lens bump too, which contains the phone's ring LED flash; the letters on the bump say 'P2D 50T', and we've no idea what that means, but hopefully the launch event will enlighten us.
When a OnePlus phone launch is coming up, the company often teases information about the device in the run-up to the full unveiling, and there's no reason to believe this isn't going to happen for the January 11 launch. So expect more information to come out before too long.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti hasn't been announced yet, but already the rumor mill is starting to swirl around an upgraded model of the best graphics card for the consumer market you can buy – assuming you can actually find one for sale, that is.
Given the ridiculous state of the graphics card market following the release of the first batch of Nvidia Ampere graphics cards in September and October of 2020, adding one more Nvidia graphics card to the mix might seem like a strange move.
But given that an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti would arguably be the most powerful consumer graphics card available – and thus command an additional premium over its MSRP on account of price-gouging from unscrupulous ne'er-do-wells – if you have the budget for an RTX 3090 Ti if and when it is released, you might have a better shot at grabbing one for yourself given the much lower demand stemming from its premium price tag over its fellow Ampere cards.
With Nvidia Lovelace expected to launch sometime next year, how realistic is it to expect an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti at this point? If it is released, how much is it likely to cost? What are the specs we're most likely to see and what will it's performance be like?
We've gathered as many leaks, news, and rumors about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti as we could find and gathered it all right here, giving you everything we know and have heard about the highly-anticipated upgrade to Nvidia's most powerful graphics card ever.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti: cut to the chase
What is it: An upgrade to Nvidia's current top-of-the-line graphics card
When is it out: Unknown, but possibly as soon as January 2022
How much will it cost? Unknown, but will likely start around $2,000/£2,000/AU$3,000, with some third-party, after-market cards selling for double that and more.
(Image credit: Nvidia)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti release date
Without an official announcement, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti release date is obviously a matter of speculation, but there are some things we have heard that point to a release coming sooner rather than later.
With production disruptions over the supply chain crisis and semiconductor shortage throughout 2021, it's been generally surprising to see the typical two-year cadence of graphics card generation releases remain largely intact.
The RTX 3080 was released in September 2020, and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 is expected to be announced in Q3 2022, which is roughly two years from the launch of the RTX 3080. The other card releases have tracked reasonably near where there predecessors were, but therein lies the leap we have to take: the RTX 3090 Ti has no predecessor, since there was no RTX 2090 or RTX 2090 Ti.
The closest we get is the RTX Titan which, for a Turing card, squared up rather well against the RTX 3090 in terms of performance. The RTX Titan really wasn't a consumer-oriented product, though. It was aimed at creative professionals and content producers who needed a substantial amount of graphics performance.
With no real analog for the RTX 3090 in the Turing generation, all we can do is look at the calendar and see that the window for a release is closing before it cuts into the launch of the next-gen Lovelace cards.
Some well known component leakers claim that while other Nvidia graphics cards might be seeing delays over the component shortages, the RTX 3090 Ti isn't among them.
This makes sense, since the RTX 3090 Ti is likely to have more limited production runs than cheaper graphics cards like the RTX 3050 and RTX 3070 Ti, so it isn't as likely to be impacted by component supply issues.
There are two main differences between the RTX 3090 and the upcoming RTX 3090 Ti, according to reports. First, the GA102 GPU in the 3090 Ti is said to feature 10,752 CUDA cores, compared to the 10,496 cores for the base RTX 3090.
What's more, it will feature a different board design and memory layout, using 12 2GB modules instead of 24 modules at 1GB each. The VRAM on the RTX 3090 runs at about 19.5Gbps, while the memory speed on the faster Micron VRAM the 3090 Ti is said to be using runs at about 21Gbps.
This could help push the card's memory bandwidth above the 1TB/s mark, besting the RTX 3090's 936GB/s. That huge increase in VRAM and memory bandwidth would be essential to improving framerates at the high end.
By increasing the bandwidth for memory transfers into VRAM, higher resolution textures will load faster, which means individual frames can be drawn faster.
This could mean the difference between playing Doom Eternal at 51fps in 8K, which the RTX 3090 averaged in our tests, and approaching, if not consistently clearing, 60fps in 8K in the same game.
The only other major difference we expect to see is the card's TDP. The RTX 3090 Ti might have as high as 450W TDP, which is 100W more than the RTX 3090. On the plus side, we also expect a different power connector, and the card will be able to leverage PCIe 5.0 where possible for even better performance.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti performance
Speaking of performance, it's hard to know where the RTX 3090 Ti might come in relative to the RTX 3090, other than to say we expect it to be better than the base model.
Without benchmarks though, it's hard to say how much we can expect. If there is any metric that might be relevant with cards this powerful, it's gaming performance in 8K.
The RTX 3090 makes easy work of most 4K gaming, and we expect the RTX 3090 Ti to improve on that, but in 8K gaming, you might be able to consistently maintain 60fps on some major AAA titles with the RTX 3090 Ti. The RTX 3090 almost gets you there, but the RTX 3090 Ti just might be able to put you over the top.
Until some benchmarks start leaking though, it's hard to put a number to anything.
Fresh off the release of Alder Lake, Intel is heading into CES 2022 in a better position than it has in years - at least since the release of the Intel Core i9-9900K. And not only are its 12th-generation processors strong, but we know Intel has some exciting things cooking in 2022 - it's just a question of what will actually be at the show tomorrow.
It's likely that the core of the show will be on some kind of mobile processors, as Intel typically follows its desktop chips with H-series chips for gaming laptops. We've also been hearing a lot about Intel Arc Alchemist GPUs, and it's possible that we'll get to see them in action. The graphics card market needs a shake-up and Intel could be the perfect company to do that.
We can't wait to see a show where Intel is playing from a position of strength, after a weak showing in 2020. And if you want to watch along with us, you can watch the Intel keynote live on the Intel Newsroom at 10am PST (1PM EST, 6PM GMT). Or, you can stay tuned to this page and we'll make sure it's updated with all the latest info the second it emerges.
(Image credit: Intel)
We don't know if Intel is ready to show its graphics cards, but we really hope it is. Nvidia and AMD GPUs are both extremely expensive right now, and hopefully, a third player in the market will help bring the prices down a little bit. It's unlikely we'll see an RTX 3080 killer, but we can hope for the equivalent of an RTX 3070, at least.
Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2022 coverage. We're bringing you all the breaking tech news and launches, everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.
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Somehow, both Cleveland and Pittsburgh still have an outside shot at making the playoffs, but with Baker Mayfield and Ben Roethlisberger calling the shots, you might want to watch this one through your fingers. Read on as we explain how to get a Browns vs Steelers live stream and watch NFL Monday Night Football online no matter where you are today.
Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers live stream
It's been a season to forget for both quarterbacks, but Big Ben will be desperate to put on a good show on what's looking likely to be his final ever game at Heinz Field.
What's left in that right arm of his? Pittsburgh's starts have become historically bad this season, as demonstrated by their failure to register a first-half TD in five straight games, and it could be up to rookie RB Najee Harris to do the heavy lifting once again.
Ironically, the Steelers need to do everything in their power to force Mayfield to play. Their rush defense is the worst in the NFL bar none, and Nick Chubb has the ability to win it all on his own.
This could get messy, so follow our guide for how to watch the Browns vs Steelers online and get an NFL live stream wherever you are in the world right now.
Stream NFL without cable with Sling TV Get your first month for only $10 now. With the game being shown on ESPN tonight, cord cutters can watch with a Sling TV subscription. Sign up to Sling Orange now and shave a mighty $25 off the usual monthly price, while also scoring access to NFL Network, Fox, NBCSN, CNN, and 20+ more channels.
How to watch Browns vs Steelers from outside your country
If you've mismatched a holiday or you're away on business and you want to watch your country's coverage from abroad, then you'll need to use a VPN. This will help you dial in to a location back in your home country to avoid geo-blocks and regain access to the content and services you already pay for back home.
A VPN is generally perfect for this as it allows you to change your IP address so you appear to be in a completely different location when the big game is on.
Use a VPN to live stream Browns vs Steelers from anywhere
ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and iOS.
Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.
Once you've chosen and installed your VPN of choice, simply open the service's corresponding app, hit 'choose location', select the appropriate country, and you'll be able to watch the broadcast as if you were back at home.
Browns vs Steelers live stream: how to watch NFL Monday Night Football in the US
Tonight's Browns vs Steelers NFL Monday Night Football game is being shown on ESPN.
Kick-off is scheduled for 8.15pm ET / 5.15pm PT, and if you have the channel as part of your cable package, you can also live stream the game directly through the ESPN website.
How to watch Browns vs Steelers FREE without cable
If you haven't already got them as part of your cable package, you'll need an over-the-top streaming service that includes at least one of the channels, and great-value Sling TV is the obvious starting point for NFL fans.
Its Orange package offers ESPN 1, 2 and 3, plus a handful of other top premium channels like TNT, AMC, TBS, BBC America and more, for just $35 a month. But right now you can get a whole month of Sling Blue for $10.
An extra $15 a month for the combined Sling Blue + Orange bundle adds access to local NBC/NBCSN and Fox channels in most major markets, as well as NFL Network, thereby covering off a large number of NFL games including both primetime and local broadcasts.
The costlier but even more thorough alternative is to get a FuboTV plan. Its standard plan costs $64.99 per month and includes ABC, ESPN, Fox, CBS, NBC and the NFL Network - all the channels you need to tune into every nationally televised NFL game in the 2021/22 regular season.
How to watch Browns vs Steelers: live stream NFL in Canada
Tonight's Browns vs Steelers game kicks off at 8.15pm ET / 5.15pm PT, and it's being televised by TSN and CTV, both of which also offer streaming access either on a standalone basis or at no extra cost for subscribers.
However, Canadian NFL fans are some of the the luckiest in the world, as streaming service DAZN is showing the Browns vs Steelers along with every single game of the 2021/22 season, right the way through to the Super Bowl.
Not only do you get every single NFL game, including NFL Game Pass and RedZone access, but DAZN's also the exclusive Canadian streaming home of Premier League and Champions League soccer!
It also comes with support for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, PS4, and laptop/PC streaming (including Mac devices).
Browns vs Steelers live stream: how to watch NFL online in the UK
The Browns vs Steelers game is being aired in the UK on Sky Sports, with kick-off set for 1.15am GMT on Monday night/Tuesday morning.
The network shows at least five games a week on its dedicated Sky Sports NFL channel, and offers access to the live RedZone highlights show each Sunday.
If you don't have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, Now TV will let you stream everything it has to offer without locking you into a lengthy contract.
A great option for die-hard fans is the NFL Game Pass, which is showing every game of the season live. A subscription costs £14.99 a week or a much better-value £34.99 for the rest of the season, after a 7-day FREE trial.
Not in the UK but still want to catch the action? Use a VPN to live stream NFL as if you were at home. This also lets you get around any blackout restrictions that sometimes apply to games.
How to watch Browns vs Steelers FREE: live stream NFL in Australia
The Browns vs Steelers game kicks off at 12.15pm AEDT on Tuesday afternoon.
ESPN, available through Foxtel, is showing the game, and you can also stream it on your laptop or mobile using the Foxtel Go app.
Streaming service Kayo Sports is showing the Browns vs Steelers game too, and is the ideal option for those who don't want the commitment of a lengthy (and pricey) contract.
Kayo lets you stream on two devices with it $25 per month Basic plan, and on three devices with its $35 Premium plan, and both come with a FREE 14-day trial.
It's also worth bearing in mind that 7Mate shows at least two games a week for FREE, but not this particular one.
And if those aren't enough to satisfy your NFL cravings, we highly recommend you sign up for the NFL Game Pass, as it's showing every game of the season live. A subscription costs $28.99 a week or $59.99 for the rest of the season, after a 7-day FREE trial.
Not in Australia right now? Use a VPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your domestic coverage.
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The new Kompanio 1380 is MediaTek's shot at the high-end SoC market, making it something we definitely want to get our hands on and test for ourselves. MediaTek chips for Chromebooks are generally in the 500- or 800-series, which means that the new SoC should offer some seriously competitive performance against rival Qualcomm and maybe even Intel.
Generally, MediaTek chips are known more for their power efficiency than their performance, so MediaTek-powered Chromebooks tend to be underperformers even though their battery life is quite good.
Acer's Chromebook Spin 513, announced today at CES 2022, is arguably the company's most popular Chromebook, so Acer is putting a lot of faith in the new chip. The new Chromebook will also feature a larger display, which – when paired with the more powerful processor – does indicate that its battery life is going to take a hit.
Last year's Chromebook Spin 513 was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c and had a claimed battery life of about 13 and a half hours. We found the Chromebook Spin 513 lasted 12 hours 26 minutes in our review, which isn't quite as long but still not bad.
The new Chromebook Spin 513 will get up to 10 hours of battery life, according to Acer, which is quite a hit. We'll definitely be interested to see if the performance trade-off is worth it in the end.
Other Acer Chromebooks also announced for students and families
In addition to the Acer Chromebook Spin 513, Acer also announced the Acer Chromebook 315, which will feature a 15.6-inch, full HD (1080p) anti-glare display and a full sized tenkey keyboard.
There is also the Acer Chromebook 314, which has a smaller 14-inch full HD, multitouch display, though the keyboard is tenkey-less.
Both have various additional features that make hybrid work or schooling more accessible thanks to flare-reducing webcams and technology for better audio performance like DTS Audio.
Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2022 coverage. We're bringing you all the breaking tech news and launches, everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.
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CES 2022 hasn’t officially begun quite yet, but that hasn’t stopped Samsung from announcing a pack of new MicroLED, mini-LED and QLED TV models.
At the highest end of the range is the new MicroLED TV model that Samsung says uses 25 million micrometer-sized LEDs to perfectly control the screen’s backlight. It’s a continuation of The Wall that Samsung announced a few years ago at CES, and will be available later this year in 110, 101 and 89 inches for more money than most of us can afford.
Stepping down to a more reasonable level, Samsung is also debuting a number of new mini-LED TVs as part of its Neo QLED TV lineup. The big changes for this year are a new feature called Shape Adaptive Light Control that allows the TVs to have better control over blooming and an upgrade to a 14-bit backlight for more luminance points.
Inside the TVs will be using Samsung’s Neo Quantum Processor that has an Object Depth Enhancer feature that will better separate objects from the foreground and background and the updated New Home Screen UI that has a number of changes including… er, an NFT store for some reason.
In addition to its bound-to-be-successful NFT store, the New Home Screen UI also has a section for cloud game-streaming services (GeForce Now, Stadia and Utomik) – a potential precursor to Samsung’s cloud gaming service that was announced at Samsung Developer Conference 2021 – and a continue watching section that will help you get back to what you were watching when you turned the TV off.
Speaking of gaming, Samsung says its latest crop of flagship screens will be able to support 4K/144Hz for next-gen GPUs like the Nvidia GeForce 30-Series cards that came out last year. Samsung won’t help you get your hands on one, unfortunately, but its TVs will support the higher framerate for folks lucky enough to get their hands on one.
The Frame (2022) is perfect for the times you want to get out and play polo, but simply can't be bothered.(Image credit: Samsung)
Want something more sophisticated? The Frame 2022 has you covered
While the MicroLED and mini-LED TVs will soak up the majority of the news cycle during CES, it’s worth noting that Samsung’s most sophisticated screen is also getting a facelift for 2022, too.
To wit, the next version of The Frame TV will offer a new matte display with anti-glare, anti-reflection and anti-fingerprint properties that will counter bad lighting and errant children who want to touch the TV when your back is turned.
Like previous years, the Frame will be available in sizes from 32 to 85 inches with final pricing and release date details to be announced later this year.
That being said, we wouldn't be surprised if this is all Samsung is going to announce this week so make sure to check back with us Tuesday after Samsung's opening press conference.
After showing a dip in September and November, UPI (United Payments Interface) ended the year and the month on a record high --- both in volume and value terms.
According to the nodal National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI logged in Rs 8.26 lakh crore worth of transactions in December. The Transaction volume was pegged 456 crore, which is another record high.
For 2021, UPI saw 3,874 crore transactions, a rise of 105% from the 1,887 crore in 2020. The total value of these transactions has been put at Rs 71.46 lakh crore, an increase of 130% from the Rs 31 lakh crore in 2020.
Kicked off in 2016, UPI has been the prime-mover behind India's digital economy. It touched one billion transactions for the first time in October 2019. But it bested it by reaching 2 billion transactions in October 2020. And it is now close to 4 billion transactions, and this shows that is now the go-to platform for retail digital payments.
UPI is said to account close to 50% of retail digital payments in the country and is almost 4.5 times that of debit and credit card transactions.
UPI is expected to continue its dominance through its AutoPay feature that seamlessly processes recurring payments of up to Rs 5,000. UPI AutoPay feature has come into focus after the similar feature processed through credit/debit cards ran into rough weather owing to new RBI guidelines.
NPCI is aiming for 1 billion UPI transactions a day over the next two to three years.
UPI needs to improve its tech infra
Meanwhile, Swiggy and Zomato, whose transactions are mostly processed through UPI, saw record the number of orders on the New Year eve night as Indians chose to order in due to various curbs for the pandemic that doesn't seem like going away. Swiggy and Zomato each received more than 2 million orders for the day --- a record for single day transactions.
The record-breaking day also showed what UPI is up against. Initially there were some issues with UPI transactions for the night due to the surge in usage. The transaction success rate was at an abysmal 40%. But things got sorted out, as Swiggy CEO Deepinder Goyal said UPI transactions eventually saw over 90% success rate.
But the technological issues in general were a dampener. The message is clear: UPI has to improve its technological infrastructure. It can't afford to have downtime as it did on New Year eve's night.
It is said that UPI would also be soon used for for credit and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) transactions, which are now hugely popular in India.
All this points to a situation where UPI's dominance is assured provided it keeps its act together.
Team TechRadar India Wishes you a Happy & Healthy 2022 -- here's a chance to check out some of our year-end reviews of electric vehicles, tech updates, OTT releases and more...
The CES 2022 is a couple of days away. But Samsung is already showing off a few of its monitors that it is set to unveil at the tech event. Among the monitors it is debuting at the tech extravaganza are what it touts to be the world’s first gaming monitor with both a 4K resolution and a 240 Hz refresh rate display and the 32-inch Smart Monitor M8 that has Smart TV and productivity apps built into it. Another one of its new offering is the high resolution monitor S8 that offers professional-level UHD performance for creators and designers.
“As the work and entertainment worlds continue to evolve, we are proud to deliver monitors that boost users’ experiences from the comfort of their homes,” Hyesung Ha, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics was quoted as saying.
Hitherto, gaming monitors with ultrahigh definition have shown a latency of up to 144 Hz display. Now, Samsung is upping it to a high refresh rate of 240 Hz and 4K resolution with Odyssey Neo G8. This is expected to ensure a smoother motion than is possible in the conventional ultrahigh resolution monitors.
The new 32-inch monitor will use quantum-mini light-emitting diode and has a curvature of 1000R, meaning the curved monitor would form a circle with a 1-meter radius.
Smart monitor M8 is a smart hub, too
(Image credit: Samsung)
The 32-inch smart monitor M8, at 11.4 mm thickness, is said to be about three-quarters thinner than the previous model. The UHD panel provides 99% sRGB color gamut while supporting 1.07 billion colors at 400nit brightness, showing every video, document or photo with true-to-life accuracy.
Samsung has packed smart-home hub functions into the new device. In that it comes with in-built smart TV and productivity apps. It can serve as a SmartThings control hub even without the need of a PC. Its movable magnetic SlimFit webcam is handy for video calls that are inevitable in these work-from-home times. Its built-in video call application supports popular calling apps like Google Duo. The Game Home feature can also transform the M8 into a cloud game streaming monitor.
S8 High Resolution monitor
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Samsung high resolution monitor S8, available in 27-inch and 32-inch models, is expected to deliver ultra-wide range of rich and nuanced colors. It is claimed as the world’s first UL (Underwriter Laboratories) verified Glare Free monitor. Matte Display is applied on the top of the panel, reducing light reflection even when not using a monitor hood, to provide a distraction-free working environment.
Both models feature USB Type-C 90W charging and LAN ports to help users charge laptops and mobile devices with no need for additional docking station.
All the three monitors will be rolled out globally in the first half of the year, Samsung said. Their retailing prices have not been specified yet.
Team TechRadar India Wishes you a Happy & Healthy 2022 -- here's a chance to check out some of our year-end reviews of electric vehicles, tech updates, OTT releases and more...
When will the Apple AirPods Pro 2 be released? Speculation is mounting around the next iteration of the noise-cancelling AirPods, which offer an audio upgrade and additional features over the standard Apple AirPods.
While we've yet to hear anything official about the AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods 3 have been released recently, bringing a much improved listening experience than their predecessors, the AirPods 2.
We are expecting another 'Pro' or premium model in the relatively near future, especially after a recent price leak – which will be good news for those keen on noise-cancelling wireless earbuds like the AirPods Pro that offer a slightly more robust feature set than their cheaper counterparts.
Right now, everything is pointing to a 2022 release date for the second-gen AirPods Pro, with respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicting a launch in the tail-end of the year.
Whenever they materialize, we're hoping Apple will introduce some big upgrades to its flagship true wireless earbuds. Here's everything we know so far about the rumored Apple AirPods 2 earbuds, plus a few features we'd like to see.
AirPods Pro 2: cut to the chase
What are they? A rumored cheaper version of the AirPods Pro.
When will they be released? Probably the last quarter of 2022
How much will they cost? Likely $249 / £249 / AU$399 or under, the price of the AirPods Pro.
AirPods Pro 2 release date
There's been a bit of back and forth with AirPods Pro 2 release date rumors.
Initial rumors suggested new 'regular' AirPods would crash into the market before 2020 is out, but later comments from industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested we'd be waiting a while longer – as indeed we have been.
That's backed up by information - which supposedly comes from a supply chain insider - that was released by @FrontTron (via MacRumors), who says that the launch of the premium wireless earbuds has been pushed back from Q2 2022 to Q3. The source didn't give a reason for this delay.
In any case, we're not expecting previous rumors that the AirPods Pro 2 would emerge in 2021 to come true now that we're nearly at the end of the year.
According to tweet from LeaksApplePro, the AirPods Pro 2 will cost the same as their predecessors ($249 / £249 / AU$399) – which contradicts previous reports that the new earbuds will be an entry-level version of the AirPods Pro (hence the AirPods Pro Lite name).
If we do get a budget-friendly version of the AirPods Pro 2, that would really shake up the competition with a genuinely affordable pair of Apple earbuds. We don't think that's super likely though; Apple recently reduced the price of the AirPods 2 in the wake of the AirPods 3 being released, making them the cheapest AirPods you can currently buy.
Interested in buying some Apple headphones now? Check out the best deals we've found below:
AirPods Pro 2 rumors
Improved noise cancellation and lossless audio
We don’t think there would be much point in releasing an entry-level version of AirPods Pro if they didn’t come with its best feature: active noise cancellation.
This was a true upgrade over the original AirPods, and signaled a shift in the true wireless earbuds market that means we can now expect to see features previously reserved for premium over-ear headphones in cordless models.
The noise cancellation offered by the AirPods Pro is very good indeed, particularly for true wireless earbuds – but it could be improved. And according to LeaksApplePro, the noise cancellation will be adjusted, if not given a complete overhaul.
We've also heard that the AirPods Pro 2 will be the first wireless earbuds from Apple to support the Apple Lossless (ALAC) standard, perhaps using some new kind of proprietary wireless connection rather than Bluetooth.
Fitness tracking features
A previous report by Digitimes said future AirPods will use ambient light sensors to take biometric measurements – potentially for monitoring blood oxygen levels like the Apple Watch 6.
According to AppleLeaksPro, this feature is coming to the AirPods Pro 2 – and as posited by MacRumors, this could work in a similar way to the ear-based clip on pulse oximeters used in hospitals, which shine light through the earlobe to detect the amount of oxygen in a patient's bloodstream. It's not clear whether the design of the AirPods Pro would have to change materially to allow this to happen, but we think it's unlikely that Apple would ditch the design that has made its earbuds so ubiquitous.
According to Patently Apple, the patent describes AirPods that use inbuilt sensors to "gather orientation information such as accelerometer measurements during user movements".
That's not all. Future Apple AirPods – including the rumored AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro Lite – could automatically pause or lower the volume of your music if they detect hazards in your surroundings, according to a patent granted to the company on August 11.
The patent describes a pair of true wireless earbuds that are capable of adjusting their audio output based on the user's activities and location, including "adjusting audio volume, stopping or preventing audio from playing, providing feedback, directions, encouragement, advice, safety information, instructions, and the like".
Spotted by Patently Apple, the patent describes how in-air gestures – for example hovering a hand over the AirPods – could work alongside the touch controls already employed by the AirPods Pro, allowing you to trigger different actions.
According to a Bloomberg report that cites "people familiar with the plans" the AirPods Pro will get a design overhaul in 2021, eliminating the ear stems altogether, for a "more rounded shape that fills more of a user's ear" – perhaps taking a few design cues from the Samsung Galaxy Buds and the Google Pixel Buds.
That design isn't set in stone, however. Bloomberg says that fitting the features of the AirPods Pro, including the antennas and microphones, into a more compact build has been a challenge so far, which "could result in a less ambitious design when the final product is finalized".
If Apple does keep the protruding stems we’d love the brand to include haptic feedback when you touch them – it would add a little bit of tactility to the user experience that we think would be really beneficial.
A charging case that doubles up as an AirTag
Apparently the Apple AirPods Pro 2 will come with a charging case that can be tracked with the Find My app on the iPhone, so you can find it if it gets lost. It'll also make a beep if you need to locate it, much like the AirTags do.
Could the AirPods Pro Lite come with a more workout-friendly design like the Beats Powerbeats Pro?(Image credit: Beats)
AirPods Pro 2: what we want to see
Sports-friendly features
Some earfins wouldn’t go amiss to make the AirPods Pro Lite appeal to the running crowd. While we find that the AirPods Pro are generally quite secure during workout sessions, some extra security could win over diehard fans of the earhook-toting Beats Powerbeats Pro.
Another way to steal some custom from Beats (and therefore itself)? Adding some cool color options to the AirPods Pro Lite. If they really are a cheaper version of the AirPods Pro, and therefore not a flagship product, what’s the harm in a little experimentation? We’d love to see true wireless earbuds in the same space gray and rose gold colors we’ve seen with some iPhone and MacBook Pro models.
Longer battery life
The battery life offered by the AirPods Pro doesn't match some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today. While perfectly acceptable, just under 25-hours of playtime has been far outmatched by the likes of the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 (though these admittedly don't come with noise cancellation, which can drain battery life).
For a start, we'd like to see aptX HD support, which would allow for wireless streaming of hi-res audio codecs at 24-bit/48kHz – which Qualcomm claims makes for better-than-CD quality. That way, Apple could get the audiophiles on side – and it seems a bit of an oversight now that the original AirPods Pro can support other codecs like Dolby Atmos spatial audio and Apple Music now offers lossless audio at no extra cost for subscribers.
We'd also like to see the ability to customize the EQ of the AirPods Pro, which could make them suitable for a wider range of musical genres. While the original earbuds are great for listening to pop music, they just don't have the right EQ curve to do justice to classical music.
The OnePlus 10 is the next big smartphone we're expecting to see from the Chinese tech company now that the OnePlus 9T has been confirmed not to exist. In fact, it'll debut in January 2022.
This upcoming premium smartphone will likely launch as part of the early-year wave of top-end smartphones, with the Samsung Galaxy S22, Xiaomi 12 and Oppo Find X4 expected to be close contemporaries and rivals.
We haven't heard too much about the OnePlus 10 just yet - there are a few leaks, which we'll share below - but rumors will probably start up soon, particularly in the new year ahead of the phone's debut.
We've also drawn up a wish-list of features we want to see in the OnePlus 10, including changes from previous phones and added extras from rival devices, which would give the OnePlus 10 and 10 Pro a better chance of getting a top review score.
Latest news
The latest leak gives us most of the key specs for the OnePlus 10 Pro, including the screen size, battery capacity, and chipset.
OnePlus 10: cut to the chase
What is it? OnePlus' next flagship phone
When is it out? January is confirmed, perhaps January 11
How much will it cost? Likely starting at $729 / £629 (about AU$940)
OnePlus 10 release date and price
The OnePlus 10 Pro will debut in January 2022, according to the company's CEO Pete Lau. This was revealed in a post on Chinese social networking site Weibo where Lau wrote, "10 Pro, see you in January".
We don't know anything else yet, so we're not clear whether this will be a China-only launch. Previously, rumors have suggested the OnePlus 10 series will debut in China first and then come to the rest of the world at a later date.
Lau's post is specifically around the OnePlus 10 Pro, which may suggest the company will be splitting its launch in 2022 to reveal each phone on a seperate date.
A recent leak has also suggested the company will be hosting an event to reveal the OnePlus 10 Pro on January 11. That comes from a video that suggests it'll be a China-only.
OnePlus 10 Pro launching on January 11, 2022 according to this leaked video on Weibo.https://ift.tt/3mMNVzr #Oppo pic.twitter.com/MhcQxBFkIwDecember 30, 2021
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If the China-only launch comes first, leaks have suggested we'll then be able to buy this phone in the US or UK around March or April 2022. The company doesn't sell its phones in Australia, so don't expect a OnePlus 10 release there.
With regards to price, the OnePlus 9 series started at $729 / £629 (about AU$940) for the lowest-spec base model, and went up to $1,069 / £929 (about AU$1,400) for the top-spec Pro model, so expect a range of prices between those figures for the handsets.
Of course, the new phones could shift the price up or down a little way, but since the OnePlus 10 doesn't sound like a huge reinvention, we wouldn't expect this shift.
Design and display
One screen detail has already been confirmed, with Pete Lau (the CEO of OnePlus) saying the OnePlus 10 Pro will use LTPO 2.0, to allow for a smoother screen than ever before.
Beyond that, one leak suggests the design of the OnePlus 10 and 10 Pro will be pretty similar to how the 9-series equivalents looked, just with some polish here and there.
OnePlus phones don't have the most radical designs in the world, so that's no surprise there.
Sooo... I'm back from the Future again, this time with the very first and early look at the #OnePlus10Pro in form of stunning 5K renders!On behalf of @ZoutonUS -> https://t.co/OPSs1ray1P pic.twitter.com/A6h1EfT98aNovember 9, 2021
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The source of this leak claims the render is based on a photo of the phone, and added specs of a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3216 screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 20:9 aspect ratio.
We've since seen a more detailed leak of the OnePlus 10 Pro, showing the phone in full from all sides, as you can see below. According to the same source, the phone has dimensions of 163.0 x 73.8 x 8.5mm (or 10.3mm including the camera bump).
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(Image credit: OnLeaks / Zouton)
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(Image credit: OnLeaks / Zouton)
And now we've also seen an aluminum dummy unit of the OnePlus 10 Pro, and it matches the images above, but gives us a much clearer idea of how big the phone is in someone's hand. We've heard another mention of the 6.7-inch screen, too.
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(Image credit: @xleaks7 / Fathom Bracelets)
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(Image credit: @xleaks7 / Fathom Bracelets)
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(Image credit: @xleaks7 / Fathom Bracelets)
Camera and battery
We don't know much about the camera of the standard OnePlus 10, but a leaker claims the OnePlus 10 pro will have a triple-lens camera with a 48MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide one, and an 8MP telephoto one with 3.3x optical zoom. Those incidentally are the same specs as the OnePlus 9 Pro.
That said, there's some disagreement here, as the source of the aluminum dummy unit further up in this article claims the phone has a quad-lens camera, though that seems unlikely based on the leaked images we've seen.
We have heard these camera leaks backed up though, with one leaker sharing those specs and adding that the phone will get 80W wired and 50W wireless powering. Those specs have also been mentioned in a second leak.
That's not the only disagreement though, as a source called Bald Panda on Weibo (that's a Chinese social networking site) has also suggested the phone will come with 5x optical zoom, rather than 3.3x, so we're not certain what to expect on the camera front yet.
As for the OnePlus 10 Pro's front-facing snapper, that's rumored to be 32MP, which would be a big upgrade in terms of megapixels on the OnePlus 9 Pro's 16MP camera.
When it comes to the battery, we don't know what the capacity of the OnePlus 10's battery will be, but one source claims the OnePlus 10 Pro will have a 5,000mAh one, while another adds that it could support 125W charging.
Specs and features
First up, there's a confirmation of a feature from OnePlus itself. The company has confirmed the 10-series phones will debut brand-new software, which will combine the company's own Android fork called OxygenOS, with that of its sibling Oppo's ColorOS, following the merger of the companies.
The OnePlus CEO said the new software will combine "the fast and smooth, burdenless experience of OxygenOS, and the stability and rich features of ColorOS."
The company has also more recently confirmed that the OnePlus 10 will use the top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. This is the successor to the Snapdragon 888 and is likely to power many of 2022's flagship Android handsets.
Elsewhere, a leaker has claimed that the OnePlus 10 Pro will have a 8GB or 12GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of storage, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. So far we haven't heard any specs rumors for the standard OnePlus 10 though.
What we want to see
This wish-list for the OnePlus 10 series is based on what we did and didn't like about the OnePlus 9 series, and what smartphone rivals are doing.
1. A zoom photo renaissance
Some phones come with impressive zoom cameras, like the Mi 11 Ultra with its 48MP 5x zoom camera or the Huawei P50 Pro with its 64MP 3.5x zoomer.
The OnePlus 9 didn't even have a zoom camera, and the Pro's snapper was a relatively measly 8MP 3.3x offering. Sure, that's not terrible, but if you're spending lots of money you'd want a bit more than that.
We'd like to see the OnePlus 10 pack a telephoto camera, even if it's just 12MP or 2x zoom, with the OnePlus 10 Pro packing a periscope snapper with 4x or 5x zoom and a higher-res sensor. Though even that wouldn't help the Pro rival the big dogs, with the S22 Ultra likely to have super-zoom and the Xiaomi 12 possibly having a Pro sibling too, it'd at least be more worthy of its cost.
2. Expandable - or more - storage
(Image credit: Truls Steinung)
The only 'con' that both our OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro reviews had in common was the lack of expandable storage. So if you bought a 128GB smartphone, you can't extend the space with a memory card, and instead need to rely on cloud storage if you want more.
While expandable storage isn't necessary for most users, phone power-users - the type who'd likely buy a Pro phone, for example - might want the extra space for photos, files, or loads of apps.
Alternatively, perhaps the storage space could be improved. The OnePlus 9 phones come with a max option of 256GB, which is a lot, but not much compared to 512GB or 1TB iPhone 13s. Some people just need lots of storage.
3. Faster charging
Both the OnePlus 9 phones have 65W charging, which is very fast compared to your iPhones or Samsung Galaxy devices... but not quite as speed as rivals from companies like Xiaomi or Huawei.
Granted, 65W is faster than most people will need, but some power-users would likely enjoy the ability to juice up a smartphone in even less time. For example, the recent Xiaomi 11T Pro can power up in just 17 minutes.
Perhaps OnePlus could use this kind of super-fast powering on the 10 Pro, or at least find a competitive powering speed to stay in line with the competition.
4. Better colors
The green OnePlus 9 Pro was the only vaguely interesting-looking member of its family.(Image credit: OnePlus)
If you look at the color options of the OnePlus 9 series, or in fact most devices from the company in general, you'll see the usual gamut: black, white, maybe a light blue. There's nothing really interesting there.
We'd like to see OnePlus follow suit with the iPhones, and get a little bit weird in its colors. Let's see pink. Let's see red. Let's see gold.
Sure, vibrant phones are known to sell pretty poorly compared to boring-colored ones, but in a world where most smartphones look near-identical, brands are going to have to look to color sooner or later in order to stand out.
5. Something to come from this Hasselblad co-operation
In 2021, OnePlus announced that it had partnered with Hasselblad for the 9-series cameras. Lots of phone companies partner with camera brands for their snappers, but it wasn't exactly clear what the Hasselblad partnership would bring for the OnePlus 9.
In the end, it turned out... not much. However OnePlus did suggest that this co-operating would take some time to come to fruition, with the OnePlus 9 series just the first of many handsets to benefit from the collaboration.
Hopefully, with the OnePlus 10 series we'll see the fruits of OnePlus' and Hasselblad's labor. Perhaps we'll see some new camera modes, or bespoke lenses that impress us. Months after the OnePlus 9 launch we saw a few Hasselblad-centric features brought to the phones, and it'd be great to see the OnePlus 10 launch with something like this.
A new year is upon us, and while we can’t be sure it’ll be a good one or that we’ll keep to the many resolutions we make, we can trust it to deliver an array of excellent titles.
The forecast for new PC game releases in 2022 has been looking bright and primed to be one of the best years for gaming in a long time. So, we’re here to let you in on some of the titles we cannot wait to get our hands on.
While we wait for these titles to arrive, make sure you check out the best PC games you can already play.
(Image credit: FromSoftware Inc.)
Elden Ring
This one’s a no-brainer: from the moment Elden Ring was announced, along with the knowledge that George R.R. Martin (the genius mind that brought us A Song of Ice and Fire) was announced, the hype surrounding this title has been atomic.
Elden Ring is an open world soulslike dark fantasy RPG published by BANDAI NAMCO and developed by From Software Inc.. Become the Elden Lord by restoring the Elden Ring from its scattered shards. Fight, gain and build up your skills, and explore the Lands Between.
Due for release February 25 2022, you can pre-order Elden Ring onSteamnow.
(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)
Redfall
Redfall is the newest offering from Arkane Austin, the studio behind Dishonoured and Prey. Published by Bethesda and due for release in Summer 2022, Redfall is an open world co-op FPS game in which you have to take down vampires with unique powers who have taken over the town of Redfall, Massachusetts.
You have four characters to choose from, Devinder Crousley, Layla Ellison, Remi De La Rosa, and Jacob Boyer, each armed with their own unique weapons and abilities with whom you must form a crew of vampire slayers to save the town.
Redfall will be available on Windows 10 andGame Pass.
You play as a prisoner attempting to escape a maximum-security prison colony on Jupiter’s moon Callisto. You must fight your way through hordes of various alien monstrosities, explore the colony, Black Iron created by the United Jupiter Company and uncover the secrets that lie within.
Although there hasn’t been a specific release date announced just yet,Callisto Protocolis definitely coming out at some point in 2022.
(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)
Starfield
Starfield is a new action RPG developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Since the release of The Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises over 25 years ago; this is the first new universe by Bethesda in a world set in space. You play as a space explorer in Starfield 20 years after a colony war took place between the Freestar Collective and the United Colonies, the two largest factions in Starfield.
It was announced during the Xbox showcase atE3 2021that Starfield would be an Xbox exclusive, but it'll be available on Windows 10 andGame Passfrom 11 November 2022.
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
God of War
It was announced in October 2021 that the superb God of War 2018 would be coming to PC, much to the PC gaming world’s delight.
You play as Kratos, the troubled former Greek god and his son Atreus. Packed with side quests, boss battles and a rich storyline, it will show PC gamers why it is one of PlayStation’s most popular and beloved exclusives.
God of War 2018 will be released on 14 January 2022 and is available to pre-purchase onSteam.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction
The much-anticipated spin-off to Rainbow Six Siege is finally here! Ubisoft Montreal is back with Rainbow Six Extraction with plenty of kill-it-with-fire alien monstrosities to keep you sharp and alert.
In Extraction you play in a team of three to complete objectives while eliminating alien enemies called Archaeans. In each incursion all objectives and enemy placements are procedurally generated; there are up to 12 objectives to complete, including gathering intel or collecting samples.
The much-loved RTS Company of Heroes is back with its third instalment from developer Relic Entertainment and published by Sega.
In a departure from its Western and Eastern Front settings, Company of Heroes 3 is set in the Mediterranean focusing on Italy and North Africa during WW2. There are a bunch of new features and improvements to look forward to, like the tactical pause and destruction system, which is not just for show, but allows for more strategic depth to gameplay.
There’s no specific release date yet, but it’s tipped for a Q4 2022 release. In the meantime, Wishlist it onSteam.
(Image credit: Studio Wildcard)
Ark II
In a surprise preview at the Game Awards 2020, it was revealed that Ark 2, sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved, was on its way. Many fans were impressed with its graphics and actor Vin Diesel’s involvement in the game.
Ark 2 is an open world survivalcraft game developed and published by Studio Wildcard and follows on from its predecessor’s last DLC, Genesis Part 2. Explore the world, battle primeval creatures, craft a base, tools, and weapons, and enjoy improved graphics and enemy AI.
While there’s no specific release date just yet, Ark 2 will be coming out some time in 2022.
(Image credit: Sharkmob AB)
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt
Following a successful Steam Open Access, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is due for release in Spring 2022. This free-to-play title is developed and published by Sharkmob and promises hours of endless vampire-on-vampire hunting fun.
Navigate your way around the rooftops and gorgeous streets of Prague in this action-packed, epic battle-royale title based on the Vampire: The Masquerade TTRPG and World of Darkness series. Choose your clan: Brujah, Nosferatu, or Toreador and “archetypes” to utilize its unique powers coupled with your strategy to reign supreme.
While you wait for its release, you can add it to your Wishlist onSteam.
(Image credit: Techland)
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Fans of Dying Light are itching to get their hands on the second instalment of the beloved action RPG Dying Light 2 Stay Human. Developed and published by Techland, the game sees you fighting (as its title implies), to stay human.
In this huge open-world survival-horror RPG, play with up to 4 player co-op using your combat and parkour skills to kill all the particularly hideous zombies infesting one of the last remaining human settlements.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is due for release 4 February 2022. You can pre-order it now onSteamor Techland’s officialsite.
